A Dark-to-Light Full Gut Kitchen Remodel

This kitchen remodel truly upgraded a space…and it also upgraded a lifestyle. The homeowners were interested in more than just a “refresh,” they wanted to transform their space into a light and open kitchen design that they could use and entertain in with ease.

They also wanted to use the space with pleasure! Only a beautiful kitchen they took pride and joy in would make that dream a reality.

Today, I want to share the details of this VERY special kitchen remodel. I hope it will inspire you and even help you assess your own priorities in your kitchen space.

From the paint colors to the unforgettable oven hood, follow along with me to get the full story on this extraordinary Keller kitchen remodel…there will be a LOT of before and after pictures, so buckle up for a major transformation!!

Before the Remodel…

Many of you have gone through the same thing at some point…it’s time to remodel the kitchen, and you hardly know whether to start with the “superficial” selections or the deeper redesign.

They’re all exciting, but you also want to be smart about the order you do things in!

The kitchen has to serve you…it has to fit your lifestyle. Where do you start, then, if you want to get the job done as efficiently as possible?

When this Keller family first contacted us, we talked about their timeline and budget. We determined early on that we would be a wonderful fit (and it was a GREAT match). Once design started, we guided them into the principal design considerations before getting into selections.

Why, you ask?

When you’re doing a full gut redo (compared with a kitchen “facelift”), it’s not just a “make-over”…it’s a “DO over.” In the case of this Keller home, the current kitchen was FAR too closed in. Couple that with the dark cabinetry and open shelving on the island, and the space looked AND felt cluttered.

The new design of the kitchen broke down walls and opened the WHOLE space up. The island was going to be about twice the size of the old one, too. By removing a wall and a row of cabinets for a totally open vantage into the living room, however, the kitchen was still going to feel LOADS bigger and more luxurious despite the far larger island size.

…YES, I was excited!!

Here are more “before” photos so you can see exactly what I mean…

The Selections!

Cabinetry

The cabinets were going to have a TOTAL redesign and were going to bounce far more light around the space.

Every choice from the paint color to the finish and the cabinet hardware were made to “minimize” the visual impact and lighten the kitchen up.

The redesign of the cabinets would mean a WHOLE wall would no longer have cabinetry (since the wall would no longer be THERE), but with the 200% increase in the island size, that gave us loads of space to build in more custom cabinetry in the island itself…

…So, that’s what we did.

This family selected DeWils cabinetry for their custom build. For an idea of the incredible quality, just take the Virtual Tour we have of their showroom on our site…

The style this homeowner selected was from the “Shelton” series by DeWils, and the wood was hard rock maple. The finish was “just white,” except in the island where they chose indigo over the same wood and style.

We also installed LOADS of new organization elements into the lower cabinetry like custom pullouts that I KNEW would totally change the client’s life…just look at this:

Counters

The countertops in the original kitchen were an icky dull pattern. It was DEFINITELY time for an upgrade.

The family had their eyes on natural stone, which I also felt was the right choice. They ultimately selected a slab of granite called “Monte Christo” from Arizona Tile. The satin finish made a brilliant centerpiece of the counter over the kitchen island…I really did LOVE this selection!!

As for the backsplash, the homeowners selected Arizona Tile once again and elected Stacked Stone Manhattan…I’m a BIG fan of the asymmetrical look to these tiles!

The Incredible Oven Hood

Seriously, would you just LOOK at that?!

This was my favorite feature of the WHOLE kitchen! Though this family made STUNNING after stunning selection over the whole project, this Vent-a-Hood “Designer” series had a custom finish and provided a beautiful blue to break up the lightness of the rest of the space…plus, as part of the designer collection, performance-wise this hood is a wonderful investment that will last them FOREVER.

The Look and Feel of “After”

Finishing a HUGE kitchen remodel project like this one feels good…it’s like crossing a finish line with the satisfaction that you made all the right choices along the way.

I was just as excited about the design decisions as the homeowner was, I think! This project took a dark and dated space and turned in into a fresh, modern and BRIGHT kitchen with SO much functionality that it will truly change their lives.

In fact, it’s already done that! Here are a couple of things the client has said since completing their project…

“The design is amazing and working with Rob on getting the island sized right made a huge difference. We love that the support beam in the ceiling was hidden. It makes the room incredibly open.”

Love it!!

Personally, I credit this kind of feedback with the Signature Process that we’ve worked SO hard to develop and perfect over the years…

“Signature did a great job managing this project through a pandemic. We were really worried when the shutdowns happened that we wouldn’t get it done. But they took great care of cleanliness and sanitation along with limiting access to the job site to the minimum number of people. We never felt unsafe or at risk. Given the unprecedented and ever-changing circumstances, we appreciate how they navigated a difficult situation.”

Lessons Learned from This Kitchen Remodel:

If there were any tips or insights I wanted you to take away from this project, it’s that cabinet redesign offers SO many beautiful possibilities. Removing a wall, too, is often necessary in kitchens built before the 1990s…but it does NOT have to mean less cabinet space in the kitchen. Just look at that island!!

We did make some adjustments to how the cabinet design was structured, too. This is the luxury of a custom cabinet design. What custom pull-outs would change your life? Are you a cookie baker in the winter? Do you need extra space devoted to spices?!

I also recommend that everyone choose light colors when they can. Of course, you can use whatever colors you want to accent different pieces within the space…but your kitchen is where you cook, and the more light you have, the better! Light colors will help it bounce around.

Watch this new video to really see the before, during and after…the transformation is one I’m in LOVE with, because I’m so happy with end result!!